Lib Dems gain seat from Conservatives with a 36% swing as 6 out of 8 seats change hands

After last week's full slate of Lib Dem candidates, this week's contestation rate slipped back to three quarters with six Lib Dem candidates in the eight seats. Disappointingly, that's down one on when these seats were last fought.

The overall modest Lib Dem results across these eight seats - five Conservative defences, three Labour defences - does make this week a useful test of how broad the Lib Dem recovery is. Or, as Jonathan Calder would put it, a test of whether the party can score good third places (read his piece to see why that matters).

But even better than that, in a ward first fought in 1979 and won by the Conservatives in every contest until this week, something rather special happened:

Congratulations to Lara Pringle and the team. Here's a little bit about Lara:

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Dacorum BC, Northchurch - 8th March 2018

LD Lara Pringle 545 [59.2%; +39.3%]
Con 260 [28.2%; -29.8%]
Lab 97 [10.5%; -2.4%]
Grn 19 [2.1%; -7.1%]
Lib Dem gain from Conservative
Percentage changes from 2015

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Newhaven TC, Denton - 8th March 2018

LD David Twaits 284 [46.9%]
Grn 222 [36.7%]
Lab 54 [8.9%]
UKIP 45 [7.4%]
Lib Dem hold

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East Hampshire DC, Petersfield Bell Hill - 8th March 2018

Ind 178 [32.6%; +32.6%]
LD David Podger 156 [28.6%; +14.5%]
Con 145 [26.6%; -20.9%]
Lab 56 [10.3%; -4.9%]
UKIP 11 [2.0%; -10.2%]
Grn 0 [[0.0%; -11.2%]]
Ind gain from Conservative
Percentage changes from 2016

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Peacehaven TC, Peacehaven West - 8th March 2018

Con 316 [46.6%]Ind 160 [23.6%]
LD Matthew Milligan 117 [17.2%]
UKIP 54 [8.0%]
Ind 31 [4.6%]
Conservative hold

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Nottingham UA, Wollaton West - 8th March 2018

Lab 2193 [48.8%; +10.1%]
Con 1950 [43.4%; +8.2%]
LD Tony Sutton 237 [5.3%; -1.8%]
Grn 72 [1.6%; -8.2%]
Bus Pass Elvis 41 [0.9%; +0.9%]
UKIP 0 [[0.0%; -9.3%]]
Labour gain from Conservative
Percentage changes from 2015

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Medway UA, Rochester West - 8th March 2018

Lab 1212 [47.5%; +26.5%]
Con 1007 [39.5%; -4.0%]
LD Martin Rose 119 [4.7%; +1.0%]
Grn 107 [4.2%; -6.1%]
UKIP 104 [4.1%; -16.2%]
TUSC 0 [0.0%; -1.2%]
Labour gain from Conservative

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Tameside MB, Droylesden East - 8th March 2018

Lab 986 [65.5%; +14.1%]
Con 489 [32.5%; +23.4%]
LD Shaun Offerman 30 [2.0%; +2.0%]
Grn 0 [0.0%; -5.9%]
UKIP 0 [[0.0%; -33.6%]]
Labour hold
Percentage changes from 2016

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Bolton MB, Farnworth - 8th March 2018

Farnsworth & Kersley Residents 1204 [47.5%; +47.5%]
Lab 969 [38.2%; -10.5%]
UKIP 169 [6.7%; -30.0%]
Con 153 [6.0%; -2.0%]
LD David Walsh 23 [0.9%; -2.2%]
Grn 18 [0.7%; +0.7%]
Farnsworth & Kersley Residents gain from Labour
Percentage changes from 2016

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Rutland UA, Oakham South East - 8th March 2018

Ind 300 [59.5%; +59.5%]
Con 204 [40.5%; +1.7%]
LD 0 [[0.0%; -22.2%]]
Ind 0 [[0.0%; -39.0%]]
Independent gain from Conservative
Percentage changes from 2015

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Harlow BC, Little Parndon & Hare Street - 8th March 2018

Lab 781 [62.2%; +7.9%]
Con 394 [31.4%; +5.2%]
UKIP 80 [6.4%; -13.1%]
Labour hold